Review on common foodborne pathogens in Ethiopia

Foodborne pathogens are among the common causes of illness and death as well as public health problem which result in the loss of labor force both in developed and developing countries. The World Health Organization estimated that in developed countries, up to 30% of the population suffers from foodborne diseases each year, whereas in developing countries up to 70% of cases of diarrheal disease are associated with the consumption of contaminated food per year. Animal products such as meats, fish and their products are generally regarded as high-risk commodity in respect of pathogen contents, natural toxins and other possible contaminants. In Ethiopia, the widespread habit of raw beef consumption is a potential cause for foodborne illnesses besides, the common factors such as overcrowding, poverty, inadequate sanitary conditions, and poor general hygiene. In Ethiopia, as in other developing countries, it is difficult to evaluate the burden of food borne pathogens because of the limited scope of studies and lack of coordinated epidemiological surveillance systems. In addition, under-reporting of cases and the presence of other diseases considered to be of high priority may have overshadowed the problem of foodborne pathogens. This review focused on published report of common food borne pathogen specifically Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Listeria spp., Staphylococcus spp. and Campylobacter spp. in different parts of Ethiopia.